I take hold of his hand and suck on the finger in my mouth, looking him in the eye while I do it.
“Fuck,” he whispers. “You’re so fucking sexy.”
I twirl my tongue around his finger and slowly pull it out of my mouth.
“Be right back.” I get off the bed, then go clean up in the bathroom.
When I get back to the bed, I lie beside him, my heart still racing, now for a different reason. I’m not sure what to say or do now. So, I just rest my head next to his, curling into his side. I absent-mindedly start tracing patterns across his chest.
He’s quiet, but not distant. More like he’s lost in thought.
“What do we do now?” I whisper.
He exhales slowly. “Now,” he says, voice rough but steady. “I meet my daughter the right way.”
Tears fill my eyes. “Okay.”
He tips my chin, forcing me to look at him. “What we just did doesn’t erase the anger or hurt. It’s going to take me some time. But, we'll figure this out.”
It’s a promise, but I know we haven’t reached forgiveness yet. I see it in his eyes.
But it does feel like something real. And for the first time since he walked out of my office, I feel like everything might just be okay.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-ONE
Liam
As much as I wanted her to spend the night, I thought we both needed some time to process what to do next. And she wanted to get home so she could get Seraphina early in the morning.
But I haven’t been able to sleep at all since she left.
Not because of what happened between us, but because of what comes next.
Meeting her. Seraphina. My daughter.
The word still feels unreal in my head. Like something I’m afraid to touch, in fear that it will disappear.
I stare at the ceiling, thinking of her sitting on Alie’s office floor—tiny sneakers, crayons, a smile that could light up a room.
Two years.
A little life I didn’t know existed.
As the sun comes up through my window, I know today is the day. I need to meet her today. I’m not waiting any longer to meet my little girl.
I pick up my phone what feels like every ten minutes. Just waiting for a decent time to text Alie.
By eight, I can't wait anymore. I feel like I’m crawling out of my skin as I pace around my kitchen.
Liam: Hey. Are you free today?
The reply comes a few minutes later.
Alie: Yes. You want to meet her today?
Liam: I do.
